1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for using a mobile switching center (hereinafter, MSC) having a large capacity, and in particular to a method for multiple service providers to use a single MSC in common.
2. Background
As depicted to FIG. 1, a conventional MSC is composed of: 1) a speech path unit including a plurality of subscriber modules 11a-11n for connecting subscriber lines, trunk modules 13a-13n for connecting a plurality of trunks, and a switch module 12 for switching the speech path; and 2) a control unit including a speech path control equipment (SPCE) 14 for controlling the speech path, performing operations such as connection and release.
Nearly all conventional MSCs operate according to international standards, so the basic functions inside mobile communication (hereinafter, MC) networks are implemented so that they may be commonly used by all service providers.
Each conventional MSC has a call-processing module, referring to FIG. 2. The call processing module must differ for each service provider according to the different set of provider policies and strategies for functions such as: processing method for authentication failure and denied authorization; usage of greeting announcements; usage of leased lines; usage of exclusive trunks for specific called numbers according to the specific service provider; usage of hot lines; presence of Customer Information Center (CIC); and the billing format. Accordingly, a service provider must possess exclusive usage of an MSC.
Therefore, regardless of the MSC equipment capacity of one service provider, other service providers have no choice but to install a separate MSC. In cases where subscribers belonging to a certain service provider are concentrated abnormally in a certain area and in a certain condition, communication service is limited by the service provider's MSC equipment capacity, though there may be ample resources available on other MSCs located in the same area belonging to other service providers.
Additionally, conventional MSCs perform call processing, trunk connections and announcement services indiscriminately in order according to the called number, regardless of the service provider to which the caller belongs. In other words, due to the fact that call-processing procedures are performed in an indiscriminate fashion in an MSC while the network operating policies of service providers vary from one another, it has not been possible for multiple service providers to use a common MSC.